The second week of school was not only interesting but very eventful.
This was the week for the tryouts in sports and performing arts.
On Monday were the tryouts for drama and dance.
I recognized a lot of the students from the ninth, tenth and eleventh grade.
The dance tryouts as I heard were very competitive and almost impossible to make the cut for the team especially for ninth and tenth graders.
Thank goodness Jaime, Chris and I had a dance routine we had been practicing since middle school with one of our favorite songs.
We were each given five minutes so we made sure to make the best of it and give the best dance audition.
Our dance was well received; each of us having our own dancing style including break dancing, some African and hip-hop dance.
We were informed that the results would be announced on Friday.
The sports tryouts were on Tuesday and Wednesday; badminton was on Tuesday and archery was on Wednesday.
I changed in the locker room, took my badminton rackets and shuttle cock and went to the indoor badminton gym.
There were lots of students some seated and standing, while others were playing on the courts.
When I walked in with Jaime and Chris behind me, the courts went silent you could hear a pin drop.
I didn’t mind the attention, although wasn’t really sure why the looks, then it hit me ah yes, I was a newbie from ninth grade and a mixed colored race student.
I just smiled, waved at everyone and sat at the bleachers.
I started looking around while talking to Jaime and Chris, looking at my watch when someone got my attention.
I saw a guy and something was telling me that he looked very familiar, almost like I knew him or had seen him from somewhere.
I looked at his physique and at that moment my heart started beating really fast, my head was in pain almost like something was banging my head.
It was then I saw a vision of something that had happened to me in the past, at first couldn’t see it clearly, but as I got closer started remembering who he was, the student who bullied me after school back in seventh grade.
I stared at him for a long time, then our eyes met, but I realized he didn’t recognize me nor could he remember me at all.
Jaime and Chris could see I was not myself and asked “If I was OK?” I replied “Yeah I am cool”, still looking at the guy, and then turned to face Jaime and Chris.
“Do you know that guy?” They asked.
I replied “No, I don’t.” It was true I didn’t know his name, but remembered clearly what he and his two buddies did to me in seventh grade.
Never in my wildest dreams had I ever expected to bump into him and in the same high school and in badminton practice of all places.
Nevertheless, it was time to find out his name and grade.
Stevenson and Mr.
Jackson; very broad built shoulders, toned thighs and legs, straight black hair, dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, with a pad, paper, a whistle and cell phones.
They did not look like the friendly coaches’ at all.
We were asked to sit in the middle of the court while they introduced themselves, the rules, expectations and the agenda for today’s class.
Whether we made it to the team or not, badminton was twice a week from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM for high school students.
If we missed more than three classes, we would be dropped out of the class.
To be selected for the badminton school team, full attendance was required, passing grades in all of your courses and practice sessions were mandatory from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM including some weekends in preparations for the tournaments.
Finally if unable to make it should inform the coaches twenty-four hours prior to the class.
Upon hearing everything my face had a big smile as these were not only simple but straightforward rules that were easy to comply and follow without any problems.
Next we started with some warm up exercises then we were divided into two groups, one group with Mr.
Stevenson and another group with Mr.
Jackson, we each wrote our names on the attendance sheet.
I was focused on finding out the name of the bullies’ as he was in my group along with ten other students and Mr.
Jackson.
It appeared that most of everyone had already played badminton before and had learned the basic skills and techniques of the sport.
The badminton gym was massive; enough for twenty students so was divided into two sections plenty of space for both groups.
Within our group we were divided into groups of two each having five people and as Mr.
Jackson called out the names of each group member, the name of the bullies’ I had been eyeing was called out ‘Jacob’.
Finally, I was able to put a name and face together that was never to be forgotten, and as Mr.
Jackson called out his name, I walked past him just to get a closer look at him when we stood face to face.
I glared and smiled at him moving on to join my group members.
We begun practicing hitting the shuttlecock back and forth, learning the rules, the skills of hitting a shuttlecock and the techniques of moving when serving, receiving and hitting the shuttle cock, this went on for an hour.
For the remaining hour we played singles and doubles matches.
I had thought that being the youngest in terms of age was the only ninth grade student trying out for the school badminton team, but it turned out there were six other ninth grade students trying out as well, and three of them were in our group, one of them was Jacob.
I was teamed up to play against a ninth, an eleventh and a twelfth grade student.
First up was the other five students from the other group, then was the eleventh grader versus Jacob; Jacob won, also beating the ninth and twelfth grade students.
Mr.
Jackson was shocked as he had never seen nor encountered such a tryout in his entire life as a badminton coach; the fact that I could beat the two best players from eleventh and twelfth grade was unbelievable.
I was already feeling exhausted after the first two games, but thank goodness I got a five minute break and was able to run to the restroom and get a drink.
The final game began; Jacob versus Diana; apparently we attracted the other students from our group and from Mr.
Stevenson’s group.
Everyone was seated around the courts and bleachers watching our game, even Jaime and Chris were now focused and could see they were using their phones to video the game.
Due to being very nervous playing against Jacob, I lost balance losing the first set.
I looked at my watch and saw we had another thirty five minutes before practice was over.
I picked up the shuttlecock and my racket, paid close attention, glaring at Jacob; I told myself “I can’t and will not lose to this jerk who bullied me”, and since he had no clue why I was glaring and smiling at him every second, had to settle the first part of my vengeance by beating him the next two sets.
The game ended in thirty minutes beating him two sets to one.
He couldn’t believe it and as I picked up my stuff ready to leave, glared at him one more time giving him a two finger solider wave and walked off leaving him speechless.
Mr.
Stevenson and Mr.
Jackson, called me before leaving asking about my game, skills and techniques; told them “I have been playing badminton since middle school and during the summer holidays at camp and practicing by myself ever since.” They responded “You are a very strong talented player and have great skills and techniques for the game.” “Thank you coach” I left the gym with Jaime and Chris to catch the bus.
“See everyone on Thursday” said the coaches.
As we were leaving the gym, Jaime and Chris were quiet all the way until we got on the bus; I realized they were quiet because of the other students who were walking behind us, almost as if they were following us.
We walked calmly to the bus, and once on the bus, we sat at the back seats.
I started the conversation asking “How did I do in the game?” “You were great” They replied.
The way they answered was almost like they were either shocked or speechless.
I then asked “What’s wrong, why are you speaking as if I made a mistake”?
Jaime took out his phone and told me to watch the game for myself.
I put the earphones on and played the video; as I watched myself playing the students from eleventh and twelfth grade the speed, the skills and the techniques I used were almost like a professional who had been playing badminton for over ten years.
I watched the game against Jacob and it was the same thing with a more focus on vengeance, not giving him any space to breathe, run or catch the shuttlecock.
After watching the games, I gave Jaime back his phone, and then saw the looks on their faces, almost like a shock or fear not knowing what to say.
I told them “I also don’t know what is going on, why I can play so well, I don’t know where the speed, skills or the techniques came from that I was able to win.” Diana says Chris “no one and I mean no one at your age has been able to play as good as you since middle school, you practically beat the two best players of the school, and how do you explain that?” “I don’t know guys, I don’t know, but it is quite scary now that I watched the video.” “By the way, that last guy you were playing asked Jaime, do you know him”.
“I don’t know him, why do you ask?” Jaime replied “You seem to have a vendetta with him, almost as if you were revenging on him for something he did to you.” I looked at Jaime and Chris for a long time with tears almost running down my face, wasn’t sure if I wanted to tell them anything.
I managed to collect my courage and said “I will tell you when we get home.”